1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a vehicular entertainment sound system (VESS), and more particularly to an audio input jack assembly for supplying an auxiliary plurality of audio signals from a portable electronic audio device to the VESS.
2. Background Art
A vehicular entertainment sound system (VESS), depending upon its components, presently receives a plurality of audio signals from various forms of media. For example, a system having a compact disk player (CD player) receives a plurality of audio signals from a compact disk (CD). Likewise, a system including an audiocassette tape player may receive a plurality of audio signals from an audiocassette tape.
Many vehicular occupants are prevented from listening to the media they wish to hear because they do not have a VESS with the component necessary for playing such media. Moreover, many of the same people own portable electronic audio devices capable of playing such media. In view of these circumstances, attempts have been made to allow a VESS to receive audio signals from a portable electronic audio device.
Currently, a car adaptor kit permits a VESS having an audiocassette tape player to receive audio signals from a portable CD player. The portable CD player reads the CD thereby creating a plurality of audio signals. The audio signals are then transmitted through an output line to an adaptor. Contained within a housing shaped as a conventional audiocassette tape, the adaptor is then inserted into the audiocassette tape player of the VESS. Once inside the audiocassette tape player, the adaptor converts the audio signals to a magnetic field that is subsequently detected by the audiotape cassette player. As one skilled in the art would know, the tape player detects these magnetic waves and converts them into audio signals for acoustical transmission on the VESS in the usual manner an audiotape cassette player reads an audiotape cassette.
However, the car adaptor kit is limited to applications involving a portable CD player and a VESS having an audiocassette tape player integrated therein. For example, an individual who has a VESS, lacking both a CD player component and an audiotape cassette player component, cannot acoustically play a CD on the VESS even though he may own a car adaptor kit. Therefore, these particular car adaptor kits do not provide auxiliary audio input for the vehicular occupant.
Moreover, most car adaptor kits frequently require direct attachment to the VESS thereby causing inconveniences to the user. For example, the output line of the CD player frequently extends outward from the audiocassette tape player of the VESS and subsequently draping over the VESS controls and the gearshift. Consequently, access to VESS controls and the gearshift is typically impeded. An additional drawback of the car adaptor kit is the unclean appearance of wires hanging in plain view.
Therefore, a need exists for a robust vehicular audio input connector that allows for the transmission of audio signals from various electronic portable devices to a VESS. Also, a need exists for an audio input connector that eliminates obstructed access to VESS controls and the gearshift.